


Under the Silvergrove Trees

by Azamir



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Falling In Love, First Love, M/M, Silvergrove, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:40:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21576202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azamir/pseuds/Azamir
Summary: The Silvergrove was not a huge settlement. Elves knew about one another there, often from a young age. But still, you could get to know someone from a whole different angle if you met them again when they were... no longer just the awkward elf from your childhood. More like... the adorable blacksmith's apprentice.Or: How Runaan, who was focused on becoming the best assassin, met the new blacksmith's apprentice, Ethari, and fell, hard.(uninspired title is uninspired. sorry, maybe I will rename it if I get a better idea)
Relationships: Runaan/Ethari, Runaan/Tinker | Necklace Elf (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 133





	1. The Blacksmith's Apprentice

Runaan had known Ethari most of his life. They grew up in Silvergrove at a similar age, and it’s not as if Silvergrove was that big a settlement that you didn’t get to know all the children your own age sooner or later.   
But their paths were different, their interests didn’t overlap much, and so Runaan had barely ever taken much of an interest in the other elf when they were still children. He had spent his time with the friends who took his challenges to run and fight, to shoot the bow and scale trees. When he took up training to become an assassin, he worked even less with others who were not in the same training.   
So, when he was supposed to get a first personalized weapon from Silvergrove’s weapons smith, it was the first time in years that he actually spoke to Ethari. Ethari, it seemed, had become the weapons smith’s apprentice, and so their paths would cross again in the future.   
Ethari’s master and Runaan’s instructor had moved on to other topics once the measurements were taken and the details of Runaan’s sword were discussed. Runaan’s instructor motioned him to stay with Ethari, and the adults left the room.   
Runaan was still watching Ethari, taking in how the elf had grown since they last met, when the other was the first to speak.   
“Hallo, Runaan. We didn’t meet in a long time.”  
“Yes. I was busy, and you were too, it seems. So… how do you like the smithy?”  
Ethari smiled an easy smile, Runaan remembered him to be a good-natured fellow.   
"I like it just fine. You know I would never have made a good warrior, and even worse of a mage. I like working with my hands. I can create all kinds of things! Beautiful, useful or deadly."  
It was probably the first time Runaan really spoke to Ethari properly. And he was enchanted by the way Ethari spoke of his work, he had a gleam in his eyes, he made it sound just the way Runaan felt when he first managed to master an especially tricky move in swordfighting.   
"It sounds a lot more interesting when you talk about it. I think I would hate being indoors most of the time."  
Ethari laughed. "You were always running around, I'm not surprised you took up training to be an assassin. So, is it what you wanted?"  
"It's hard work, but I'm glad to do it. I learned so much already!"  
"And you got even more muscles."  
Runaan wasn't sure he was supposed to hear that comment of Ethari's, and when he looked into Ethari's face, the other one blushed and looked to the side, obviously embarrassed.   
"You… like my muscles?"  
"Forget I said anything, please."  
Runaan didn't ask again, and after a short awkward pause, they were saved by their respective instructor's calls. But Runaan did not forget that comment. It stirred something inside him. Something he had never quite felt before, not like this.   
—

Only days after that time in the smithy, Runaan saw Ethari again. Silvergrove came together to celebrate the festival of Lugn, a day for reunions with family and friends as well as new unions - often couples would choose this festival for their marriages. Tables were set out outside so everyone could meet their family and friends with plenty of space, and everyone brought homemade food for a big buffet. It was the loudest festival Moonshadow elves celebrated, and it started in the evening and often went all night long. Runaan arrived late, he had tried a new style of braiding and it had gone wrong, so he had taken far longer to prepare than anticipated. But he was nearly an adult now, and for the first time in his life he actually wanted to look good and maybe… attractive for the festival. The whole of Silvergrove was there, and some elves from other parts of Xadia. Silvergrove was a close-knit community, but they had always had elite fighters come from the village, who joined the Dragon Guard or took up bodyguard duties all over Xadia. When you went that far away alone, you had to make other friends, and some of these friendships held even when the Moonshadow elves returned home.   
Runaan's parents waved at him to come over. He went to them, sitting down at their table. None of them had any siblings, and his grandparents had been dead for a few years, so they were a small family. They made up for it with friends, some of them assassins and fighters like Runaan’s father was, some who knew his mother from her work at weaving cloth, since they were customers or colleagues. Since most of his parents’ friends did not have children or their children were already grown up, Runaan’s parents had become the focusing point in the past years. It would probably change, now that Runaan was becoming an adult and no longer reliant on his parents.   
He greeted everyone, from elderly Garjane, who had been his mother’s patron since she first offered her services, to Ularian, who was an assassin like Runaan’s father and sometimes instructor to Runaan, now that he was in training himself. His mother commented on his hair – he had switched to a style he had done before after his botched attempt, but he took extra care to make it look neat.   
“The hair’s the reason you took longer, isn’t it, Runaan? Want to impress someone?”  
Runaan shook his head.   
“No, I just wanted to look my best today. It’s a festival after all.”  
She smiled and praised his braiding, but the conversation soon strayed to all kinds of topics.   
When Runaan let his gaze wander over the other tables around them, he noticed Ethari sitting two tables further. He was laughing, surrounded by what seemed to be his family – a younger sibling next to him, their parents across. Two elderly elves were also at the table, probably grandparents. They seemed happy, and Ethari radiated a kind of happiness that held Runaan’s attention.   
While Runaan still looked at Ethari, the other youth turned his head and looked right back at Runaan. And as he noticed that Runaan was looking at him, he smiled that easy, happy smile again and raised his hand to wave at Runaan. Runaan waved back automatically. Then, Ethari's little sister demanded his attention again, and their little shared moment was over.   
Runaan focused on his family again, and it was a beautiful night. Ularian was full of praise for Runaan's progress in training, which motivated a rare praise from Runaan's father. His mother was in her element with all the people around her, always being a sociable elf.   
When his parents' friends moved to meet other friends around the clearing, Runaan also moved to get up.   
"You want to go meet your friends, Runaan? Then go off! Your father and I will find a way to occupy ourselves just fine!"  
Runaan didn't need further encouragement. He moved to the table of Tiadrin, a girl who was a year ahead of him in assassin training. Another boy from assassin training was next to her already, he was her age and named Lain. Runaan had his suspicions about them maybe being more than friends, but it would be immensely impolite to pry or assume.   
Tiadrin greeted him with warmth, she was immensely competent and Runaan respected her a lot. She was often asked by the instructors to show new moves for everyone to imitate. Lain was a very dutiful young man, he worked very hard, while a lot of things came easier to Tiadrin. They had taken to Runaan as soon as he joined the training, showing him little tricks they had picked up, and they had become friends this way. Soon, they were talking about maneuvers and weapons, which made Tiadrin's parents roll their eyes and take off to meet their own friends. "You children obviously don't need your parents while you're talking shop. We'll be off!"  
They were deep into an argument about the advantages of swords versus daggers when Tiadrin suddenly broke off. "Oh, hey, Ethari! Come here, join us!"  
"I don't want to interrupt you."  
"Nonsense, Ethari. Come on, you are a blacksmith, you can tell Runaan why a sword is better than a dagger any day!"  
"I'm a blacksmith's apprentice, and a sword and a dagger both have their place in a fight. They're just different."  
"But the sword's better!"  
"It's not!" - Runaan would not give up this fight easily.   
Lain laughed. "Come sit with us, Ethari, while those two hardheads fight it out. You know Runaan, don't you?"  
"We met just last week, Runaan got measured for his dagger."  
Runaan felt compelled to include Ethari in their conversation as soon as the other boy had sat down. He didn't concede to any of Tiadrin's arguments, but he did steer the topic to what Ethari and Lain had started talking about. Ethari was telling them about what his first independent assignments had been, and how he liked doing ornaments out of scrap parts in the workshop. He showed a necklace to Tiadrin when she asked to see, and Runaan was fascinated.   
It was beautiful, a delicate pattern engraved into the metal. "It's beautiful!", he couldn't stop himself from exclaiming.   
Ethari looked at him with a shy kind of pride in his eyes. "Thank you, Runaan."  
They talked about a lot of things that night, and Runaan really got to know Ethari for the first time. Tiadrin knew him well since childhood since they were cousins once removed, and since they were only a year apart, their parents had met up often for the children's sake. Ethari liked Junberries, had been forbidden pets by his parents after bringing home a Moon Phoenix at age 4 and could barely keep his fingers still for five minutes - he was constantly touching either his clothes or his jewelry or other elves.   
Runaan couldn't name anyone about whom he knew as much from just one night spent talking. And he was pretty sure he had just fallen head over heels for the soft-spoken blacksmith's apprentice. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Runaan is taking action.

Assassin training was a time consuming work most of the time. There was weapons training for different weapons, unarmed combat training, general fitness training and target practice with the bow. Additionally, they learned a lot about geography and politics – they needed to know as much as possible about the countries they would be working in, as well as the ramifications of their missions.   
  
They had to learn a lot about humans, as they posed the greatest threat, ever since they had been banished to the western parts of the land. Their mages would cross into Xadia to hunt magical creatures and plants for their atrocious black magic, their greedy nature driving them to take from Xadia what they had already hunted to extinction in their own kingdoms. Their armies had not attacked in Runaan’s time, but everyone in Xadia was expecting that to change, soon. Their populations grew, and the way they handled their lands, they would need to expand to provide for all the people.  
  
The Sunfire elves were closest to the border, and Avizandum guarded the border, but it fell upon the Moonshadow elves to do missions deep into the enemy lands. They had the moon magic to craft the necessary illusions. And since the Moon Nexus was in human territory, someone had to check up there every once in a while. So, learning how the human Kingdoms were organized was important, learning how their military trained their people and what kinds of weapons they would encounter. Also, of course, who was in charge of what part of the human lands, who posed what kind of threat. 

But with all of that to learn and practice, leisure time was a very rare thing for the assassin trainees. They tended to spend little time with other during their training years, simply because you could easily keep in touch with the people you were seeing every day to spar and train, but not so much with others who dd not take part in your training. 

Runaan had formed a friendship with Tiadrin easily, and through her with Lain as well, but now he found that he really really wanted to have the time to spend with Ethari. But it wasn't that easy. 

Within the week after the festival, he had not even had the time to catch a single glimpse of the blacksmith's apprentice. And he was very aware that he was starting to pine after the other. It was completely irrational that one night at the festival should have that much of an impact on him, but he was self-aware enough to accept that it had. So, he faced the dilemma of wanting to see the other elf, but having insufficient leisure time to do so.

Also, he did not have the slightest clue if Ethari had any leisure time. How much did a blacksmith's apprentice have to work? 

And, the most important question, after all - he did absolutely not know if any advance he wanted to make would be welcome. Whenever he thought of figuring out how to spend time with Ethari, his thoughts circled back to this: would Ethari want to spend time with him? What if he didn't? 

His hope basically hung on Ethari's half-muttered comment that day in the smithy, but that was absolutely no guarantee, and Ethari hadn't wanted him to hear. He had talked with Runaan willingly enough at the festival, but that had been with Tiadrin and Lain as well, and Ethari knew Tiadrin all his life. It didn't mean he would still want to talk to Runaan without Tiadrin present…

"Runaan."  
One of his instructors said his name, impatiently. Oh no, he was supposed to be focusing on his lessons, not daydreaming of Ethari!  
"Yes, Kurali?" Runaan knew better than to not reply to his instructor when asked.  
"Glad to have your attention again, Runaan. Now if you would care to continue taking notes instead of staring into the air…"  
"Of course, Kurali. I'm sorry for being inattentive."  
Kurali raised his eyebrows at Runaan but didn't comment further and continued his lesson on the known military centers of the Kingdom of Katolis.   
Runaan diligently tried to pay attention for the rest of the lesson, but he still caught himself thinking of Ethari twice.

He seriously had to change something. Either meet with Ethari, or get him out of his head for good!  
—

Runaan knew that asking Tiadrin about Ethari was an invitation to be questioned and possibly made fun of for his crush, but he was willing to suffer a few jokes at his own expense if he could at least get a chance at seeing Ethari again. 

So, when they had their next sparring session, he approached her while they were still warming up. 

"Tiadrin, can I ask you something… private?"  
She looked up at him from her stretching, taking in his slightly nervous form and the formal way he had asked her.  
"Uhm… of course." Her voice sounded a little hesitating, however.  
Runaan motioned her over to a place in front of a building a little off from the other trainees. Before he could even get his first question in, Tiadrin already started herself:  
"Runaan, I know I haven't told anyone, but if this is going where I think it is going, you should know: I'm with Lain. I'm sorry if that hurts you, but he and I just… work."  
Runaan let out a short nervous laugh.   
"Calm down, Tiadrin. I know you like Lain. This is not about you or him."  
"Oh, okay. But then why did you want to talk to me privately?"  
"I wanted to ask about Ethari. You know him. Do you think… he might want to meet me?"  
"Ethari? Why… Oh! Oh. I really should have seen this coming. You two got along awfully well at the festival!"  
"Please, just tell me - do you think he would agree if I asked him to meet with me? And… would you maybe give him a message from me?"  
"Huh. I think he would certainly consider your message. He's kind and honest, but I don't know if he would be interested. But yes, I'll take a message for him."  
"Thank you." Runaan was relieved at her answer. As long as Ethari would at least consider it, he had a chance of persuading him.   
"But really, Runaan, you are into boys? Couldn't you have said something earlier? There were so many girls who were at me because I was your friend… I never wanted to be too mean to them because what If you actually ended up with one of them? It would have made everything so much easier!"  
"I… never thought about it? Ethari is the first one that I was ever… interested in?" Runaan felt stupid for admitting it, but he didn't want to evade or lie to Tiadrin.   
"He's your first crush ever? Oh my, now I'm quite obligated to help you. Can't let you finish training without having some real experience first, and that includes a first love! So, yes, I will definitely take any message to Ethari for you."   
"Thank you, Tiadrin."  
"Don't worry about it, Runaan. But now, let's start training. You'll be my partner, as everyone else will already have teamed up. Get ready to be finished!"

They returned to the sparring field, and Runaan had a hard time standing his ground against Tiadrin, she was very, very good. And his thoughts weren't quite where they were supposed to be - as he was thinking of what exactly he wanted to say in a message to Ethari.  
—

Runaan scratched out another line on his parchment in frustration. That line had sounded too flowery, and Ethari wasn't flowery. Runaan wasn't flowery. It didn't fit.

Which left him no closer to knowing how to start his message to Ethari than the previous 12 tries. He knew he was starting to act ridiculous, but he also couldn't stop. He needed to write that message to Ethari, and it needed to be just right. 

It was already late at night, but since Tiadrin had agreed to taking a message to Ethari, Runaan wanted to have that message ready, so that Ethari would get it as soon as possible. He would have a free afternoon in two days, and he wanted to ask Ethari if they could spend at least a part of it together. Talking, taking a stroll in the forest, something like that. Gettin to know more about each other, to see if this could maybe go beyond an infatuation. 

But now Runaan was stuck at wording the message. He didn't want to be too forward, Ethari was such a soft-spoken elf, he might be taken aback if Runaan spoke too frankly. But sugarcoating would not be honest, and Runaan wanted to be honest, because in his mind, Ethari might just be the one elf to spend his life with, and that could not be based on lies or half-truths. 

Dear Ethari,   
When we met in the smithy, I really saw you for the first time. Ever since, you have drawn my gaze and you arely leave my thoughts. But it is only a half-picture of you, from the glimpses I gained of you. I wish to gain a more complete picture of you, of your thoughts and likes and dreams. I wish to speak to you, to get to know you. Would you consider allowing me?  
On Thorsday, I do not have training in the afternoon and can spend time at leisure until the evening. If you also can make the time, would you consider spending it with me? Maybe for a walk in the woods, or an hour by the fountain?   
Please tell Tiadrin your answer. If you would rather set a different date, I will do my utmost to make it possible.  
With admiring regards,   
Runaan.

It felt stilted to Runaan, but stilted still felt more like himself than flowery romance.   
He copied the draft to another parchment, taking extra care to write neatly. His teachers had often complimented his handwriting, but he still wanted to make sure Ethari saw that this was no hastily scribbled note. He was satisfied with the outcome, so he folded the parchment and pocketed it. We would hand it to Tiadrin right at the beginning of their next shared lesson.   
—

When Runaan finally met Tiadrin the next time, it was far later than he had anticipated. He had gotten assignments from their trainers that didn't leave him any room to talk to Tiadrin for half the day, and now it was their lunch break. That of course meant that Lain was sitting with Tiadrin.

Runaan straightened his shoulders, walking over to the table where Tiadrin was obviously telling a joke to Lain, who laughed as soon as she stopped talking.   
"Hallo, Tiadrin, hallo Lain", Runaan greeted them, and they greeted him in return as he sat down across from them. 

"They kept you working hard today, Runaan. Did you do something to anger the instructors?", Lain said with a smile. He knew Runaan was a most dedicated student, and did not habitually get into the kind of trouble that would make the instructors hand out punishments.   
"If I did, I can't recall. But I needed to talk to you, Tiadrin, I have something I'd like you to give to Ethari."  
Lain smirked at that. "Ohhhh, did you now?"  
Tiadrin probably kicked him under the table, as he flinched and pouted a moment later.   
"Of course, Runaan, I'll give your message to Ethari. Don't bother with Lain, he's too stupid to remember how much trouble he went to to get me a first letter."  
"Hey, I was just teasing Runaan a little bit! Ouch! No, don't kick me again Tiadrin, that's mean!"  
Runaan ignored their squabble as he reached into his bag and got out the letter. He'd been careful all day to not get any creases in it.   
Tiadrin took it when he handed it to her, while Lain only followed the exchange with his eyes, an exaggerated pout on his lips. When Tiadrin didn't react to him even after she had tucked the letter away, Lain turned his attention on Runaan again.

"So, a letter for Ethari, huh? What did you write him, eh? A poem?"  
Runaan thought back to that failed attempt and answered: "No!"

Lain laughed at that. "Not the poetic type, are you? Well, I don't think Ethari is, either. So, don't worry, Runaan. Ethari is nice, if he lets you down, it'll be gentle."

Runaan was a little miffed by Lain's interference, so he answered stiffly: "I'd rather not think about whether he'll let me down. I'd rather he at least gives us chance to get to know each other better."  
Lain laughed again, but he flinched halfway through, obviously from another kick Tiadrin had pointed at his shin under the table. 

"Okay, okay. I'll stop teasing you. But no matter how he responds, you can talk to both of us, ok? I promise not to be mean? Really, I'm just excited to see you falling in love, Runaan."  
Runaan pretended to be busy with his food to avoid answering, but when he looked up, he couldn't but smile at Lain. The other elf nodded, and that was all that was needed.

Now, only to hope that Ethari would answer his message. Favourably. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will probably be slow, but I'll try to keep them coming. My love for them is strong, there is not (yet) an verabundance of fic, so I can quench my thirrrrrst best by writing my own fic. So, everyone profits, I guess? XD. Still, with work, christmas annoyance, pen&paper sessions (I have 3 ongoing groups... one of which I'm DMing...) and figure skating training, I'm just so busy all the time xD.
> 
> Edit note: They released the official names for Rayla's parents, so I edited everything to reflect that. Welcome, Tiadrin and Lain!

**Author's Note:**

> I was SO in love from the moment Rayla said "his husband". And GOSH they are so terribly sweet and utterly in love. It physically HURTS ME to not scream loud in fangirl on my twitter, since most of my rl and tl friends haven't yet had the time to watch season 3. So, I channeled it to fanfiction. I hope you enjoy!


End file.
